Subtle Slips
by I Spaz With Pizzazz
Summary: There was always a coal coloured mask or a vibrant curtain of make-up obscuring them, but when a face was finally added to a feeling, they knew that anything could happen. BatsyXJoker Oneshot


**A/N: **Random idea received while listening to the Used and Flyleaf. :D Kind of a different style than I usually have, but I like it… It would have been done sooner, but midterms suck the muse out of me. –shiver-

Oh, and to readers of Hushed, I finally thought up a plot, so I'll start again soon!

-disclaimerdisclaimerdisclaimer-

Enjoy~~ :3

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Subtle Slips

xo

The first time they kissed, the only reasoning behind it had been to see which would pull away first. A test. A dare. Like schoolboys, they were simply begging for trouble.

They got more trouble than they initially expected, because one kiss quickly grew into two, and then two into three and so on. Every night it would be a fight followed by another tender exchange, then a casual 'accidental' escape from the Joker. It was true, they did complete each other, and they knew it too well. There was a balance when they were together. A near flawless compliment for each other.

So slowly, steadily, they learned all about each other through their mental games, their constant pursuit of outdoing their counterpart, and through the stolen, beautiful kisses. And after a while, they knew without asking incredibly close to what the next words would be, and what expression in the eyes meant what.

Only one tiny little problem.

Neither had seen their secret 'lover's' real face. It was always a coal coloured mask or a vibrant curtain of make-up obscuring the _person _they knew so well.

Both men were so curious just who they'd grown to be so infatuated with.

Yes, the first kiss was a mind game.

Yes, the second more a physical attraction than anything else, brought on by a surprising pleasure coming from the first.

The third kiss was similar, but by the forth or fifth time it was because they wanted to know that enticing person deeper than as a favourite enemy.

They wanted to be even more intoxicated than they already were.

Oh, the sheer _idea _of being than addicted to someone made them both shiver with anticipation.

Soon every night wasn't just about going out and inciting panic or being a nameless protector.

It was about seeing how much deeper in they could get, and how much more one glimpse of their rival could make them almost wish they were _normal _so they wouldn't need to _worry _about that little detail that they were such a forbidden match.

So, they kept being forbidden and kept right along stealing tenderness, and kept staying put under their assumed identities.

All it made them was all the more hungry and yearning to be human.

To have faces to go with those intriguing minds they couldn't get enough of.

Those minds they couldn't forget about.

If they were human, they might be able to admit to each other how much they illicitly adored every last one of those thousand kisses.

Each was too stubborn, though, and in a way s_cared _to let go of being anonymous. When a face was added to a feeling, anything could happen.

Anything at all.

And it terrified them.

And they couldn't help but want, just the tiniest bit, to brave than terror and see what _would _happen.

--

Another day, another fight. The regular schedule for them. The Batman and the Joker were in their element as always, both of them filling the roles the city expected them to, and anxious to get ahead to the part _no-one _expected from the two most-wanted in Gotham.

Nothing new, just a bit of chaos in the streets on the Joker's part. Sure, it was exhilarating and amusing, but it was nothing like Batsy's lips on his scarred ones.

He could wait, though.

He didn't like waiting all that well at all, but Batsy was worth waiting for. Batsy was illegal like nothing else was, and he loved that. Being with Batsy proved ultimately that he was _never _going to do what anyone expected. No rules, no reason.

He _could, _so he _did._

And Batsy was _intoxicating._

Nothing new for 'Batsy' either, only trying to clean up the Joker's messes. His duty, that was all. And all right, maybe it had turned into a little bit of an addiction too, but it was nowhere near as addicting as his secret encounters with his enemy.

Batman was shaded in secrets as it was, but someone guessing he was having a fling with _the Joker…_

Fling?

Well.

Exactly what pertains into the category of fling, per say? One time? Two times?

Because it had been far more than only one or two times, that was something for sure.

Just saying.

A small question.

So, that day was going along much the same as the others they were very, very familiar with. About two hours of cat-and-mouse stalling before disappearing to some corner or another to steal another moment together.

And finally they'd almost gotten to that moment for the day. Slipping into the back of a building by the water, all eyes were on each other, not the clouds looming in the sky.

Hands groped over bat-suits; under folds of purple jackets. Their movements were synchronized in this just as they were in fights. When their lips met, they tasted what might have been a distant cousin to bliss.

The clouds must have seen and been happy for them, because they started crying down a steady blanket of rain. With the beginning drops they didn't notice, but when the Joker felt something dripping onto his head, he pulled away and looked up.

"Of…of all the times to rain…!"

The bat blinked and realized it too, and realized he could see a tiny flash of _skin _under the grease paint.

Like they _were_ human.

It struck him, and he couldn't look away. Sort of in shock, he murmured like a little boy, "You're melting…"

"Melting? Ha, Batsy! Have you been watching the Wizard of Oz lately, hm? Oh, you sounded like a little kid, you know…! And—" Wait, wait, wait. Okay, why _would _Batman suddenly say he was melting? Technically he _was _a quote-unquote 'villain' or whatever, but he was no witch. He had a much better sense of style.

And then, it dawned on him that when he brushed a strand of hair away, his hand got smudged with white grease pait.

"Ohhhh. Well…!"

Melting meant having nothing to hide behind anymore.

Melting meant showing his human face.

And then…and then…then there would be definite chaos. In their hearts anyway.

But being who he was, the Joker couldn't help but indulge in that pretty chaos. Especially how that it was so _perfect._

Nothing was ever perfect. Except then.

Swallowing and licking his lips, the clown drew in a breath and spoke quietly. "You know, Bats… I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours. And this time I'll keep nice and quiet about it, 'cause you know. You could say we're off-duty…?" He meant it, too. Of course he'd tried to taunt the big bad Batman into showing what was under his mask in all of those videos and things, but that was because the Joker knew he wouldn't. Those were mind games, and those were on the job. Nothing more.

Now, he just wanted to _know. _To get it over with. To let that damn chaos explode in his heart. His heart hadn't felt _anything _in ages.

And Batsy couldn't wait any more either.

Even though everything that was the 'hero' in him had been saying not to fall for the stupid clown since the start, he had. He'd fallen nice and hard, and neither a bat-suit _nor _a set of hockey pads could cushion that fall.

At the same time, the mask ripped away and the make-up wiped clean.

And they saw.

And they _smiled, _without needing any scars to help.

"…Seems like Bruce Wayne put all of Mommy and Daddy's money bags to good use…" The Joker murmured after a while, and the Bat smirked in spite of himself. The advantage to no knowing you had a stinking millionaire for a boyfriend meant also now knowing where to go see him when you couldn't stand waiting for the next fight anymore.

Bruce Wayne couldn't see any name automatically popping out from who he saw, but he didn't mind.

He had a face to think of now.

They both did…they both had an actual face to hate now. They also had an actual face to possible love now.

If that was really what happened when a face was added to a feeling, then they liked it. They really liked it.


End file.
